Jürgen Klinsmann
OK, I’ve made my decision…
I’ve finally decided to come out…about my name, that is.
Why now?
Blame it on the World Cup’s Team America and its reportedly nearly $3 million dollar salaried, celebrity German coach Jürgen Klinsmann.
You see my REAL name too is Juergen.
I quit using it about half way through junior high school after coming to this country. The reason: kids can be cruel and I just got tired of being compared to Jergens Lotion.
Face it at that age—especially as an immigrant—you try desperately to fit in.
Hence Juergen Poessiger became Jack Poessiger.
Why Jack, you ask?
I have no idea, other than both names began with the letter J. Jeremy probably would’ve been a better choice, however I now know that Jürgen connotes to George.
It all worked out pretty well until 9/11 hit America.
That’s when REAL names had to be used when boarding airplanes. And the trouble was, I never legally changed my first name.
My drivers license to this day states Juergen…which truth be told, is actually spelled, Jürgen.
So any post 9/11 travel for me became Juergen Poessiger—or else I wasn’t getting on the plane. And I’m a travel agent, for crying out loud.
When going back to school reunions in Nebraska a lot of people up there still know me as Juergen. And it’s downright weird when they call me that. Takes a little getting used to again.
Certain Kansas City friends these days also make it a point to use my real first name. I consider it a sign of friendship and actually enjoy it.
My son Doug likes using the name, but I wonder whether he’s doing it just to mess with me.
And you may have seen Hearne using it at times in bylines of stories posted by me on KC Confidential under New Jack City or on Jack Goes Confidential movie reviews.
I’ve never quite figured that one out. At least he doesn’t call me George.
Of course when KY-102‘s legendary program director Max Floyd first coined Jack Goes To The Movies, I wondered if Juergen Goes To The Movies would have worked as well.
Or George Goes to the Movies?
Probably not.
Or what about former KY personality Tanna Guthrie’s racy intros to, Jack’s-Off At The Movies?
So to Jürgen Klinsmann and his USA team in Brazil, thanks for bringing my name back into the international spotlight and finally teaching people how to pronounce it correctly.
So I wondered how you would say “Jack” in German.
Holy sh*t!! This from Wiki–
“Hans is a masculine given name. In German, Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Icelandic and Swedish, originally it is short for Johannes (John) but is also recognized in Sweden, Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands as a name in its own right for official purposes.
“Hansel” (German Hänsel) is a variant, meaning “little Hans.” Another variant with the same meaning is Hänschen, found in the German proverb “Was Hänschen nicht lernt, lernt Hans nimmermehr,” which translates roughly as: “What little Hans doesn’t learn, grown-up Hans will never learn.”
Other variants include: Hanns, Hannes, Hansi (also female), Hansele, Hansal, Hensal, Hanserl, Hännschen, Hennes, Hännes, Hänneschen, Henning, Henner, Honsa, Johan, Johann, Jan, Jannes, Jo, Joha, Hanselmann, Hansje.”
🙂
On trips back to the old country German friends and relatives have pronounced the name as ‘Yack’ (J becomes a Y to Germans—Ya!)
Chuck’s right, Jack, you really screwed the pooch with this Jürgen thing.
First, you misspelled Jürgen, not to mention leaving out the diaeresis over the U. What were you from the Deep South or something?
Your dad was German, right? He should have told you Jürgen meant Hans.
Then again, if you’d gone from Jergens Lotion to Hans, those Cornhusker kids would have kicked your butt clear through college.
In any case, nice of you to let readers know you’re living a lie – a double lie, no less.
It puts the Jergen lotion on the Hans…
mmmffff…. bwahahahaha! good one, dude.
Be sure to tip your waiters, Herr Dude 🙂
Yeah man, Glazer should be paying me to perform at his yuk yuk shack! Forget Tucker and that ass clown Mencia!
Dude abides!
I remember the teacher having a big problem trying to pronounce Jack Rossi’s name first day of school in home room.
She was stumbling through, trying to pronounce Giacomco Pasquale Rossi.
Jack raised his hand, waving wildly saying, It’s Jack.
Of course Giacomo is really James.
My Grandfather and his brother were at Ellis Island presenting their papers … Guy asks Whats your name ? Feldman …. then he asks the brother his name “sam ting”.
His brother went thru life a China Man. Sam Ting
Good one!
Here’s a weird one…
Was watching ESPN test and they showed Klinsmann while misspelling his name in a box below. Juergen.
Go figure